Salvation Fundamentals
By
Kathy L. McFarland
1 January 2011
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What does salvation really mean?
Many Christians think Salvation is the Eventually, these different definitions
forgiveness of sin and a ticket to combined, confused and crippled the
Heaven. Others believe that Salvation Evangelist and the sinner, as the unified
cleanses you of sin, and prepares you for definitions of Salvation became so
the Great Judgment Day, when you are confusing that no one dares try to
resurrected from your grave and face explain it, for fear of looking stupid and
Jesus Christ for His verdict of life or faithless. It's time we understand this
death. One of the great divisions among important concept completely, and
Faithful Christians is caused because reach agreement to the basic tenets of
they define Salvation differently. Salvation, so our own Christian walk,
Usually, unaware that their definitions and our evangelization efforts are
differ, they condemn each other's fruitful and reveal the wonderful Grace
doctrines for being legalistic or liberal, of our LORD God.
and separate themselves from each
other in anger. What does it mean to be saved?
If only we could get this definition The Hebrew word for Salvation that is
nailed down, and agree on this one written in the Old Testament of the
important concept in our Christian faith, Word of God is "yeshuwah" and means
then many of the splinters and chasms literally "something saved" and
between our Faithful brothers and abstractly "deliverance." The Greek
sisters could be healed. More word for Salvation that is written in the
importantly, our Evangelistic efforts New Testament of the Word of God is
could become more focused, as all the "soteria" and means literally the act of
Christians agree on the terminology and "physical and moral rescue".
add to each other’s ministries as they go
out to preach and teach to the unsaved. SALVATION MEANS DELIVERANCE!
The doctrine of Salvation is often In all of my travels, in remembering all
wadded up into this big ball that of the words spoken by Preachers,
encompasses prayer, baptism, Teachers and Evangelists through the
forgiveness, hell, Heaven, faith, peace, Word of God that is the meaning they
righteousness, gifts and evangelism. understood. DELIVERANCE! Every
When we leave our churches prepared to Christian Church, every Christian
fulfill the great commission of Jesus Leader, every Christian Faithful believes
Christ, to spread the Good News to all that Salvation means DELIVERANCE!
corners of the world, Salvation is the one
word every Christian, on every Mission, It is not the definition of the word
speaks and the one word that cannot be Salvation that causes the chasms to
defined confidently because of this develop, to misdirect the focus of the
confusion. Word of God. We all agree on the
meaning of Salvation; the disagreement
The word Salvation has become amongst our faithful brethren lies with
corrupted, as various doctrines of the things we are delivered from, what
various beliefs defined it differently.
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results after we are delivered and why 5. All human beings begin life with the
we need deliverance in the first place! sinful nature, and fall short of the glory
of God.
What do we need to be
DELIVERED from? The LORD God is not present in the
sinful realm. Sin is offensive to God. It
SALVATION MEANS DELIVERANCE doesn't matter how much good people
FROM OUR SINFUL NATURE! do in the world, if their works were done
while they harbored their sinful natures,
“For all have sinned, and come short of the greatest of works in humanity,
the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23) religion, science, art, medicine,
education and government are made
1. Our souls are not condemned because null by the presence of sin. Those who
we do great sin. We are condemned come from families of "good stock,"
because of our sinful state! those who are well-educated and able to
advance the human condition to rightful
2. All unsaved people do bad actions places, those who do good daily and give
because their heart, their core, their all they have to others, and those who
complete being has sin that originated struggle daily to live an honest life, are
from Adam's transgression against the all short of the glory of God, because
Will of God. they have the natures of sin within them.
3. Some unsaved do really terrible sins, SALVATION MEANS DELIVERANCE
and some unsaved have no sign of the FROM ETERNAL DEATH!
terrible condition of sin.
“For the wages of sin [is] death; but the
That does not mean that some are gift of God [is] eternal life through
greater sinners than others. Every living Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
human being has the full sinful nature
inside him. Some may well be able to 6. Sinners die, no matter what they do in
subdue those basic instincts, while this lifetime. The wages that come to the
others are controlled by the same sinful unsaved is death. Until death is brought
natures to do grievous harm to others; to that sinful nature, then it remains
both the noble and the derelict have the inside the unsaved, leading them toward
same nature inside them. If an unsaved their promised destiny.
person does not outwardly sin, self-
control may be present, but the sinful 7. It takes more than the death of the
nature still exists. The actions of the sinful natures to give the unsaved hope,
unsaved may well differ in degree, but however. Unsaved people that die and
not in guilt or cause! are placed in their graves, are dead
unsaved people. Eventually, the unsaved
4. Unsaved sinners must understand people will be resurrected to face the
that they have sinful natures, and are Judgment of Jesus Christ to answer for
unable to save themselves. the things they did with their sinful
natures, but until then, the unsaved lay
dead in their graves.
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8. The LORD God gives eternal life lusts, Ever learning, and never able to
through Jesus Christ, our Lord, to those come to the knowledge of the truth.”
who seek deliverance from their sinful (2 Timothy 3:1-7)
natures. ...sexual perversion, the sacrifice of our
SALVATION MEANS DELIVERANCE children, the dirty habits of obscene self-
FROM THE WAYS OF THE WORLDLY! love and self-focus are the ways of the
world...these are just of a few of the
“And you [hath he quickened], who carnal things of sinful nature that entrap
were dead in trespasses and sins; the unsaved in these Last Days.
Wherein in time past ye walked
according to the course of this world, SALVATION MEANS DELIVERANCE
according to the prince of the power of FROM THE CONTROL OF SATAN!
the air, the spirit that now worketh in
the children of disobedience: Among 10. The unsaved that are entrapped by
whom also we all had our conversation their sinful natures, are led by the prince
in times past in the lusts of our flesh, of the power of air. The prince of the
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of power of air is Lucifer, also known as
the mind; and were by nature the Satan, the Devil.
children of wrath, even as others.”
(Ephesians 2:1-3) SALVATION MEANS DELIVERANCE
FROM THE WRATH OF GOD!
9. The unsaved people with their sinful
natures walk according to the course of 11. People with the unsaved and sinful
the world. The "course of the world" nature are children of LORD God's
encapsulates the entire degrading, wrath.
grotesque, ugly things that have
developed and become perilously SALVATION MEANS DELIVERANCE
established within our world today. They FROM A LACK OF FAITH!
include those very things spoken of in 2
Timothy 3:1-7... “For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is]
"This know also, that in the last days the gift of God: Not of works, lest any
perilous times shall come. For men shall man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
be lovers of their own selves, covetous,
boasters, proud, blasphemers, 12. Salvation can only be received
disobedient to parents, unthankful, through FAITH. FAITH is the gift of
unholy, Without natural affection, God, given to believers through His
trucebreakers, false accusers, wonderful and underserved Grace.
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those
that are good, Traitors, heady, 13. The Unsaved cannot give FAITH to
highminded, lovers of pleasures more themselves. If they could, they would
than lovers of God; Having a form of boast of their godly ability. Only the
godliness, but denying the power LORD God gives those He Wills the faith
thereof: from such turn away. For of to turn toward Him, reject their own
this sort are they which creep into sinful natures, and reach toward the
houses, and lead captive silly women righteous and holy nature of God,
laden with sins, led away with divers through the Lord Jesus Christ.
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SALVATION MEANS DELIVERANCE Lord God and the salvation through
FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION Jesus Christ, will be judged guilty and
AND A SENTENCE TO HELL! sentenced to eternal damnation and be
cast into the lake of fire.
“And I saw a great white throne, and
him that sat on it, from whose face the
earth and the heaven fled away; and How does Salvation come
there was found no place for them. And to the sinners?
I saw the dead, small and great, stand
before God; and the books were “Be it known unto you all, and to all the
opened: and another book was opened, people of Israel, that by the name of
is [the book] of life: and the dead were Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye
judged out of those things which were crucified, whom God raised from the
written in the books, according to their dead, [even] by him doth this man
works. And the sea gave up the dead stand here before you whole. This is the
which were in it; and death and hell stone which was set at nought of you
delivered up the dead which were in builders, which is become the head of
them: and they were judged every man the corner. Neither is there salvation in
according to their works. And death any other: for there is none other name
and hell were cast into the lake of fire. under heaven given among men,
This is the second death. And whosoever whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10-
was not found written in the book of life 12)
was cast into the lake of fire.”
(Revelation 20:11-15) SALVATION COMES TO BELIEVERS
THROUGH THE SACRIFICE
14. Everyone will one day stand before OF JESUS CHRIST!
the Judgment Seat of the Lord Jesus
Christ and be judged according to their 18. Through the belief and acceptance of
works or their sins. the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and His
Resurrection from the dead, the unsaved
15. Those works done by the unsaved are can receive salvation. Acceptance of
nullified and void; thus it is only their Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is the
sinful thoughts and deeds that are only salvation can come to them, free
placed before the Judge Jesus Christ. them from the sinful nature, and make
All works of a sinner are vanity. Works them whole.
are not measured living and righteous
when done while the workers had the How do the Unsaved receive
natures of sin. the gift of Salvation from
the LORD God?
16. If the Unsaved maintained their
status in their lifetime to their death, 19. Salvation is a two-step process. The
then they have no living works that can first step is one of belief, and the second
be measured. step is one of action. If the Unsaved
believe, but do nothing, they remain
17. Those with dead works, those who unsaved. If the Unsaved do not believe,
chose to go to their grave with their but go through the action of a repentant
sinful nature and reject the Grace of the sinner, they too remain unsaved.
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“That if thou shalt confess with thy SALVATION BRINGS MORE FAITH AND
mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe THE LOVE OF THE LORD GOD!
in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For 22. Our crucifixion with Christ allows us
with the heart man believeth unto to receive more faith and the love of the
righteousness; and with the mouth LORD God.
confession is made unto salvation.”
(Romans 10:9-10) SALVATION MAKES THE SAVED HOLY,
UNBLAMEABLE AND UNREPROVEABLE
SALVATION COMES BY FAITH IN THE LORD GOD’S SIGHT!
IN JESUS CHRIST ONLY!
“For it pleased [the Father] that in him
should all fulness dwell; And, having
made peace through the blood of his
cross, by him to reconcile all things
unto himself; by him, [I say], whether
1. Know that you are a sinner, and [they be] things in earth, or things in
cannot save yourself. heaven. And you, that were sometime
alienated and enemies in [your] mind
2. Confess the Lord Jesus Christ as your by wicked works, yet now hath he
Savior reconciled In the body of his flesh
through death, to present you holy and
3. Believe that Jesus Christ's sacrifice unblameable and unreproveable in his
was sufficient to atone for your sins. sight: If ye continue in the faith
grounded and settled, and [be] not
4. Be confident that Jesus Christ moved away from the hope of the
physically rose from the dead. gospel, which ye have heard, [and]
which was preached to every creature
which is under heaven; whereof I Paul
What are the results of Salvation? am made a minister;” (Colossians 1:19-
23)
“I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ 23. Salvation establishes peace with the
liveth in me: and the life which I now LORD God.
live in the flesh I live by the faith of the
Son of God, who loved me, and gave 24. Salvation makes Faithful Believers
himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) holy, unblameable and unreproveable in
the LORD God's sight.
21. The confessors of Jesus Christ as
Savior are crucified with him. Salvation brings Eternal Life!
(Note...Our Crucifixion is joined to the
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ through our “For God so loved the world, that he
Faith. Our Burial is the acceptance of the gave his only begotten Son, that
Baptism of Jesus Christ, which we will whosoever believeth in him should not
speak of in our foundational study of perish, but have everlasting life.” (John
“The Baptism of Jesus Christ”) 3:16)
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25. Everlasting life is given those who Unsaved can be anywhere, at any time,
believe in Jesus Christ, the only and receive salvation through their
begotten Son of the LORD God. belief and confession in Jesus Christ. It
doesn't take a church, and it doesn't take
SALVATION BRINGS THE POWER OF people. It just takes a sincere and
GOD TO YOUR LIFE! repentant heart to accept Jesus Christ
and be saved!
“For though he was crucified through
weakness, yet he liveth by the power of Salvation is not contingent on great
God. For we also are weak in him, but emotion (or lack of) during the
we shall live with him by the power of conversion experience. Some feel great
God toward you. Examine yourselves, elation, some a quiet peace, and some
whether ye be in the faith; prove your don't feel anything at all. It is a uniquely
own selves. Know ye not your own individual experience, and emotions
selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, vary with the experience surrounding
except ye be reprobates?” (2 the conversion as well as from the scars,
Corinthians 13:4-5) blocks, and pains hidden deeply within a
person from a life hard-lived.
26. The Power of the LORD God is with
all saved Faithful through Jesus Christ. Salvation does not come to a person just
because they want to be saved from
What is NOT Salvation? going to Hell! The question of whether
someone would prefer Heaven to Hell is
“For unto us was the gospel preached, pointless. Anyone would readily choose
as well as unto them: but the word Heaven if given the ability to discern the
preached did not profit them, not being differences between the dwelling place
mixed with faith in them that heard of the most Holy God contrasted with
[it].” (Hebrews 4:2) the fiery pits of Hell.
Salvation does not come to the Unsaved Salvation comes to those who accept the
by simply the physical act of uttering Lord Jesus Christ as Savior; it does not
words in prayer form! Their heart must come to those just trying to hedge their
be in it with the expression of solid faith. bets and cover all bases "just in case".
If the UNSAVED receive the Gospel of Does Salvation guarantee
Jesus Christ and hear with their heart Eternal Life?
and agree, then their confession will be
heard. Without the understanding and Yes! Yes! Yes! Your belief in Jesus Christ
repentant heart, the prayers of the brings salvation to you, and you are
Unsaved are worthless. guaranteed eternal life. Your faith in
Christ alone is all that is necessary for
Salvation is NOT the physical act of eternal life.
walking down the church aisle following
an invitation from the Pastor. The PRAISE BE TO GOD!
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About the Author: Kathy L. McFarland is a Becker Bible Studies Teacher and Author of Guided Bible
Studies for Hungry Christians. She has received her Bachelor of Science degree in Religious Studies from
Liberty University. Kathy is a Hebrew language student attending Israeli taught Ulpan and a noted expert
on Old Testament exegesis, Christian apologetics, and Bible typology and mysteries.
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